Method and apparatus for barking logs.



e. s. WITHAM, In; METHODAND APPARATUS FOR BARKING LOGS I APPLICATION FILED JULY 31. H2.

1 377,898. 7 PatentdSept. 3, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

ATTOR EYS G. S. WITHAM In.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BARKING LOGS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3|. I912.

Patented Sept. 3,1918. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 1 INVENTOR 620 79 lW/fiam, v I BY ddw ATTORNEYS G. SI WITHAM, JR.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BARKING LOGS.

APPLICATION HLED JULY 31. I912.

'1 77,808. Patented Sept. 3, 1918..

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR v gal'f f/W/rfia/rzfi ATTORNEYS fao.

TED STATES PA NT. OFFICE.

GEORGE s. WITHAM, an, OFQHOOSICK FALLS, NEw YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T INTERNATIONAL PAPER COMPANY, OF NEW 2031:, N. 1,, A

' CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BARKIN G LOGS.

Application filed July 31, 1912. Serial No. 712,405.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that'I, GEORGE S. WITHAM, Jr., a citizen of the'United States, residing at Hoosick Falls, county of Renssela'er, State of New York, \have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods and Apparatus .for Barking'Logs; and I do .hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact, description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art- 'to which it" appertains to make and use the same;

My present invention relates to a method and apparatus for. removing the bark and 'color from logs, and especially from those logswhich are to be used in the manufacture 'of wood pulp for paper-making, the object I being to remove the bark and color without removing any of the solid wood or splintering the fiber of the outer surface of the solid wood. Y

The invention consists primarily in providing a method and means whereby the bark and color can be removed by water being projected under pressures ranging anywhere from five hundred to three thousand pounds per square inch (and, preferably about 7 00 to 800 pounds per square 80 inch, for spruce wood and the like in the condition in which it usually arrives at the mi1l)"in jets which are directed to lift and By the jets alone or when the bark is first bruised and the jets then applied, no waste of the pulp fibre is occasioned.

logs have been suggested and attem ted v with varying degrees of success,.among t ese 1 being abrading and chipping devices and numerous instances of the use of cutting knives. So far as I am aware, all methods so far advanced for machine rossing have sought to breakup the bark in the course of its .Fremov'al. 'IJaI'n also aware that water in jets, usually at moderatepressurahas been employed to remove the fragments of bark after the Specification of Letters Patent.

one or r 26. more ets of water having high velocity, the

' Various methods of removing bark from.

'destructionof the fiber of the wood by transbark asa whole has been disin- Patented Sept, 3, 1918.

The herein described method of removing the bark difi'ers essentially,howeverg-from 8| all of the above mentionedways and means in that a separation of the continguous and adhering surfaces of the bark and log is first accomplished before any effort toward breaking up the bark is made, the breakingup of the bark being merely an incident to its en tire removal from the log. In fact the preservation of the continuity of the bark atjor near the points where it is being separated from the surface of the log is a factor which is, in a measure,.responsible for the successful operation of this process.

Owing to the irregular form of a log, cutting means which completely remove the bark necessarily disfigure the surface of the 10 log and those cutting means which cut through the bark orseparate it into sections of small area which sections are afterward removed by=water jets or other means, cut through and splinter the surface of the log which is an effect not to be desired when the log is to be used for paper making.

The result most desired to be obtained by a rossing machine is that it shall peel off the bark in relatively large pieces andremove the intermediate skin between the bark and wood known as color leaving-the surface of the solid wood clean and smooth. This I am enabled to accomplish with a jet of water under high pressure directed at an acute angle, first, against the bark to make an opening therethrough, and then against the adhering'surfaces of the bark and wood. In order to further facilitate the action of the water jet when the bark adheres tenaciously as with some Woods, I bring pressure to bear upon the bark through the medium of rolls which atthe same time may present various portions of the surface of the log to the jet and briuse the bark without substantial de- 06 struction of -its continuity, whichbruising serves to increase the diameter of the bark preparing it for subsequent removal by the water jet. I may corrugate therolls which bruise the bark but in order to. avoid any verse cuts or dents, I design the corrugations tolie parallel to the grain orlay of the fiber .of the wood.

I have illustrated. in the accompanying l oli drawings several modifications of apparatus for carrying the hereindescribed process into effect, Figures 1, 2 and 3 disclosing a pre-' ferred form which is capable of first bruising the bark and then removing 1t by the high pressure water jet or applying the jet end to'end through a circular series of high pressure water jets which strip off the bark and cleanse the wood; I

Fig. 5 Ba section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 shows an organization inwhich a series of-logs are fed and rotated by a conveye'r which presents all parts of the surface of the log to the action of fixed jets; and

Fig. 7 is a cross-section on line 77 of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings, the machine,

illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 has an upright frame A upon the front side of which vertical guideways B are provided. A horizontal chain conveyer C is located across the machine forward of the guideways B and will be accompanied by the supports and guides (not shown) which are usually provided for such conveyors.

M Two carriages-D and- E are mounted to slide vertically upon the guideways B. The

' lower carriage D of the two is secured to a piston rod F connecting witha piston G working in anupright cylinder H at the bottom of the machine, the arrangement being devised to effect vertical movement of the carriage D u on the guideways B when a motive fluid un er pressure is caused to act upon one or the other side of the piston G in cylinder H.

The carriage D is provided with two rolls I mounted to rotate in bearings with their axes substantially parallel to the conveyer chain C. Thei-ollsI are mounted on oppo' site sides of the conveyer chain '0 and a space is left between their surfaces suflicient to-admit of their passing the conveyer chain C in their upward and downward movement with the carriage D. a The shafts of the rolls I are provided with worm gears J which are driven by shaft L.

The horizontal shaft L is provided with p a pulley M driven by a belt N which is in turn driven from a pulley O, on a countershaft P. An idler pulley Q bears on the belt N and takes up the slack therein occasioned bythe lowering of the carriage D. .r

worms K on a horizontal rolls I upon carriage D, but the rolls U are not necessarily provided with driving means and no such means are shown.

A handle W operates a valve to admit the motive fluid to either the lower or the upper sidepf the piston G to cause the carriage D" to rise to the upper limit of movement of said piston or fall to its lower limit of movement while a valve X normally admits the motive fluid to the under side of piston, S and keeps the carriage E in its upper position until the carriage D has risen far enough to permit the rolls 1 to lift the log to be Jbark'ed off the conveyer chain. The carriage D then strikes a rod w and pushes it up during the completion of the upward movement of carriage D and the rod w reverses the valve X-and causes a downward movement of the carriage E until the rolls U bear upon the log. y

A vertical pipe is carried by the carriage D and has a sliding connection through a stufling box 9 with a stationary vertical supply pipe and a cross pipe Z having a series of jet nozles is mounted upon the upper end of this pipe. The cross pipe Z extends the full width of the rolls I and is directed tangentially just above the surof the piston G which causes the carriage D to rise and lift the log above the carrierchain .C. As the rollsare ontinually revolved, the logwill be turned over and over upon them. As the carriage D approaches the upper limit of its movement, it contacts 7 v and lifts the rod :12, which reverses the valve X and admits motive fluid to the upper side of the piston S causing the uppercarriage E to descend until the rolls U press upon the upper side of the log. The pressure of the four corrugated rolls upon the bark bruises it and loosens it from the body of-the log. The operator now turns on the high-pressure jet which quickly cuts through the bark and impingesv tangentially upon the adhering surfaces of the bark and the log proper, continuing to so impinge as the log is rotated,

' stripping the 'bark off in a substantially continuous sheet. When the bark has been removed, the jet is allowed to remove any color which may still clingto the surface of the wood and is then shut off and the handle W reversed, admittingthe motive fluid to the upper side of the piston G causing the descent of the lower carriage D; The upper carriage E and the valve rod as follow during the commencement of downward move-,

ment of the lower carriasge until the valve rod w reverses the valve whereupon, the carriage E rises and the log is deposited by the further downward movement 0f the lower carriage D upon the carrier-chain to be removed thereby making way for the following log.

' In Figs. .4and 5, I have illustrated a hol- Iow pipe ring awhich is placed in such relation to a series of conveyer rolls 1; that the ripher strips.

I prefer to feed the logs through the ring logs traveling upon said rolls will pass through this ring. The ring a is provided with a circular series of jet nozzles which i direct the high pressure jets between the adhering surfacesofthe bark and the log and strip the bark from the log in longitudinal When this form of device is used,

by abutting the logs end to end and permitting the following log to push the one in advance of it.

In Figs. 6 and 7, I have shown a conveyer consisting of side guides 0 and feed rolls d mounted at an angle to theguides to give the logs, an advancing movement and at the some time revolve them about their axes. When this type of 'conveyer is used, it is-not necessary to provide a circular series of jets but a short series of jetsJimpinging' upon the top of the logs will operate in a spiral path to :strip the .bark and effect substantially the same result as is obtained with the apparatus shown in-Figs. 4 and 5.

It Will be seen that the method involved in the present invention includes subjecting the bark to the action of a Water-jet of such high velocity as to disrupt" and remove it,

.in contradistinction to preliminarily com minuting or chopping the bark into' small fragments. also, a characteristic feature -of the invention consists in introducing the water jet between the bark and the solid wood of the log and disrupting the bark by the action of the jet, which under-runs the bark and price it up from the solid wood of the log. Furthermore, the invention contemplates specifically breaking through the istantiallyas described.

sists in removin the bark by causing a water-jetzof sufiiciently high velocity to cut through the bark and to under-run)and thereby separate the bark from the solid wood of the log; substantially as described.

2. The method of barking logs which consists in bruising the bark upon the log without destroying its continuity and removing the bruised bark by introducing a water jet of. high velocity. between the bruised bark and the solid wood of the log; substantially as described.

3. The method of barking logs which consists ineffecting an initial opening of the bark by a jet of water having a high velocityand subsequently removing the bark by theimpingement of said jet tangentially at.

the continuous surfaces of the bark. and log and thereby causing the water-jet to underrun and pry up the bark from the solid Wood'of-the log; substantially as described.

' 4. The method of barking 10 s which consists in subjecting the bark to the action of a water jet of sufficiently high velocity to disrupt and remove the bank from the log in substantially its natural condition without previous treatment of the bark.

(5. The method of barking logs which consists in first loosening the bark form the log by bruising the bark without destroying its continuity and then efi'ecting its entire removal by introducinga highovelocity jet of water between the bruised bark and the solid wood of the log; substantially as described.

6. The method of barking logs which consists in first subjecting the log to rolling pressure to bruise and loosen the bark without destroying its continuity and theri efa fecting the disruption and removal oft-he 5 bark by the impingement of a jet of water having, a high velocity upon the adhering contiguous surfaces of the bark and. log,

whereby the water-jet iscaused to underrun the bark and pry it from the log; sub- 7 The method of barking logs which consists in causing a jet of Water at a-pressure within the range of 500 to 800 lbs. per square inch to cut through the bark and impinge tangentially upon'the line 'of separation between the bark and log and thereby under-run the bark and pry it from the log;

substantiallyas described.

8. The m ethod of barking logs, which consists in disrupting the bark by a water-jet of high velocity, and introducing the waterjet between the bark and the solid wood of the log toremove the bark by the action of the jet; substantially as described;

9. The method -of-barking. logs, which consists in subjecting the bark to the action of a water-jet of such .high velocity as to initially disrupt the bark and thereafter remove the same.-

- 10. In'a log barking machinegthe combin nation of a log carrier, a vertically movable wardly, and a jet nozzle designed to project a high velocity jet against the log adjacent its point of contact with one of said rolls and in a direction approximately tangential to the surfaces of the log and roll; substantially as described.

11. In a machine for barking logs, the combination of a log carrier, a carriage movable transversely of said carrier to remove logs therefrom, positively driven rolls on said carriage adapted to receive and rotate a log, and a jet nozzle mounted to move with said carriage and project a',highvelocity jet in a-direction to impinge at an angle upon the surface of a log resting upon said rolls; substantially as described.

12. In a machine for barking logs, the combination of a log carrier, a vertically movable carriage to remove logs therefrom, a hydraulic piston and cylinder for operat ing said carriage, a second vertically movable carriage, a second hydraulic piston and cylinders 'for moving said second carriage, log'gri'pping rods on said carriages, means for driving one or more of said rolls, and a jet nozzle mounted on one of said carriages for projecting a high velocity jet against a log gripped by said rolls; substantially as described. I

13. In a machine for barking logs, the combination of a log carrier, a vertically movable carriage, a hydraulic piston and cylinder for moving said carriage to lift a log from said carrier, positively driven logsupporting rolls mounted on said carriage, a et nozzle mounted on said carriage and directed at an angle toward the point of support of a log on one of said rolls, a water supply pipe, a sliding joint between said nozzle and said pipe, a driving shaft, and an extensible driving connectlon between said shaftand said rolls; substantially as described. j I

14. In a 'machinefor -barking logs, the combination of a carrier, a log lifting and supporting carriage, a log retaining and pressing carriage, hydraulic pistons and cylinders for said carriages, and means actuated by said log lifting and supporting carriage for controlling the movements of said log retaining and pressing carriage; substantially as described.

15'. In a machine for barking logs, the combination of a frame having vertical guideways, a carrier running transversely of said guideways, hydraulically operated carriages mounted to move in said guideways, bruising rolls mounted upon said carriages, a power drive for the-said rolls on one of said carriages, and a jet nozzle mounted on one of said carriages and directed to project a high velocity et in proximity to the face of one of said rolls, and, operating means for said carriages wherebya log may be lifted from said'carrier, held and bruised between said rolls and the bark incised and peeled off by said jet; substantially as (lb scribed.

16. In a log barking machine, the combinationof a log advancer, a log rotator, a jet nozzle positioned to direct a jet of water against the rotating log at amangle to its surface, and means for supplyin the water to said nozzle at a velocity su cient to initially pentrate the bark and thereafter stri it from the log.

1 In a log barking machine, the combination of an advancing log carrier, a carriage adapted to raise a log from said carrier, rolls on said carriage for rotating the raised log, and ajet nozzle positioned to direct a high velocity water jet at an angle to the log and upon the contiguous surfaces of the log and bark, whereby the bark is stripped from the log by the force of the water jet; substantially as described.

18. In a log barking machine, the combi- I nation of an advancing log carrier, a pair of roll carrying oppositely moving carriages adapted to lift a log from said carrier, and roll -it between said rolls, and a high velocity water jet arranged to impinge upon a log being rolled between said carriages;- substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature,

in presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE s.w1"rH M,JR. Witnesses: I

I. B. SURDAM, J1., B. KENYON. 

